A while back, I came across a Forbes article titled, “Business Leaders Must Read These 5 Surprising Children’s Books Now.” The article intrigued me. Great ideas have no genre or page number boundaries. More often than not, the most poignant wisdom comes wrapped in simplicity. It's been nearly a month since I wrote about A True Story of the Three Little Pigs. This week, I worked with The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds—a picture book just a few pages long, but packed with meaning and usefulness for anyone leading, creating, or influencing others.
Here are the five books the article recommends for business leaders:
- The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds
- Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud, illustrated by David Messing
- The Barking Mouse by Antonio Sacre, illustrated by Alfredo Aguirre
- The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka, illustrated by Lane Smith
- Cakes in Space by Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre
Have you read?
Leadership Insights in A True Story of the Three Little Pigs
A Blank Page and a Breakthrough
At the heart of The Dot is Vashti, a little girl who believes she cannot draw. Presented with a blank paper in art class, she pushes it away, convinced she is not artistic. Her teacher does not push or reprimand her. She gently encourages Vashti instead to just make a mark and see where it takes her.
So Vashti picks up a pen and jabs it on the paper—a single dot. The teacher asks her to sign it.
When Vashti returns the following week, she's surprised to see her dot framed and hanging on the wall. Something inside her shifts at that moment. She experiments, imagines and explores what else she can do with dots—big, small, colorful, and expressive. One mark leads to an opening to creativity. Eventually, her artwork is displayed at the school art show.
And it all began with a dot.
What Leaders Can Learn from a Dot
The Dot is a powerful reminder that so many people are far more capable than they think. Encouragement, especially at the right moment, can unlock hidden potential. Vashti’s art teacher didn’t teach her how to draw or tell her what to do. She simply encouraged her to start—and acknowledged the value in that first step.
That's part of the leadership principles. You don't have to have all the answers, but you have to set the conditions for other people to thrive. One word of encouragement can change the course of an individual's journey.
This story also shows that change never begins with competence. It begins with an action. No matter how small or hesitant. Leadership requires courage, but sometimes the bravest thing is simply to begin, especially in the face of self-doubt.
The Dot as a Metaphor
The dot in the book is also more than just a literal dot. It's a metaphor for all the things we think we're not good at. It's a symbol of those areas of life where we feel lacking or not good enough. For Vashti, it was drawing. For other people, it could be public speaking, strategic planning, leading a team, or being an entrepreneur.
Regardless of the fear, the lesson is the same. Leave a mark. Don't wait until you're ready. Don't wait for permission. Start, however imperfectly, and see where it takes you.
This simple concept resonates with what we know of personal and professional development. Small actions, repeated over a period, lead to breakthroughs. A small win builds confidence. A little progress creates momentum. That's how mastery is created. Not by waiting around for talent to appear, but by building it through doing.
Passing It On
The beauty of The Dot is how it ends.
Vashti’s art is displayed at the school’s art show. A student tells her he can’t even draw a straight line with a ruler. Vashti doesn’t console or correct him. Instead, she invites him to try. He draws a squiggly line and shows it to her. Vashti looks at it and says, “Sign it.”
Just like her teacher did for her.
This moment is profound because it shows what leadership maturity looks like. When you’ve grown enough to empower someone else. True leaders don’t hoard their knowledge or inspiration. They use it to uplift the next person, creating a cycle of belief, confidence, and creativity.
Final Thoughts
Peter H. Reynolds' The Dot is a book for readers of any age, although it says volumes to adults, especially those who are in leadership positions. In a few pages, it reminds you that courage begins with a single step, and that faith, either in yourself or from someone else, is generally the spark you need to grow.
It's a book about leading, inspiring, and making with kindness. It's what is possible when you don't wait until you are good enough and you simply start. And it's on the ripple effect of mentorship, how one person's support can trigger another person's metamorphosis.
Whether you're facing a blank page in your business, your art, or your leadership, The Dot encourages you to make your mark known, and to urge others to do the same.
Have you made your mark today? And just as importantly, who are you cheering on to make theirs?
If you want access to my Bookish Notes, please consider joining my membership site, the Art of Learning.
This post contains affiliate links and The Invisible Mentor® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. For more details see here. Thank you so much for your support!
